I’ve been looking at the Interactive Illinois Report Card for District 150. Here are the total expenditures of District 150 for a period of eleven years, 1997-2008; in the last column, I converted all the amounts into constant 2008 dollars to make it easier to compare apples to apples:
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Looking at the inflation-adjusted dollars, and acknowledging that it does appear to have started a downward trend, you’ll nevertheless notice that from 1997 to 2008, operational expense per student has increased over 17%. However, if you look at enrollment over roughly the same period (1998-2009), the trend is different:
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I wanted to include the 2008-2009 data so you could see that enrollment did go up slightly that year. Nevertheless, enrollment from 1998 through 2009 fell by 9.4%. As a result, operating expense per student has increased over 24% — from $9,184 in 1997 (in inflation-adjusted dollars) to $11,398 in 2008.
Questions: Why have operational expenses continued to climb while enrollment has been decreasing? Why are expenses $25.4 million more in 2008 than in 1997 (in inflation-adjusted dollars) when enrollment fell by over 1,400 students? Where is the money going?
TR64–Sounds interesting but they are parts that I don’t understand–most of it. What agenda? Who is McGee? What requester? What formal request? What do you mean by communications via e-mail being hard to dispute?
Apparently someone else kicked in some money since the FOIA report I received Friday because this, along with the other three, are on Monday’s agenda:
$3,678.00 in-kind donation from the Peoria Civic Center to support the All-District Staff Event at the Peoria Civic Center
??I guess that says that the Civic Center itself kicked in about the cost of the service charge.
Sharon, unfortunately doing an FOIA would most likely do more harm than good at the present time. At some point won’t they have to publish it on their website?
I am looking for the current list like this one,
http://www.psd150.org/community/docs/Administrator_Salaries.pdf
especially the bottom portion.
Johnnie Mack, I think it will probably be published later–but seldom at the beginning of the school year.
Thanks Sharon, I will be looking for it because from what I have heard some of the new hires got LARGE salary increases over their predecessors.
I’m trying to get some answers, too. One of my problems is that I don’t know which newly appointed administrators are from within 150–are there any? Also, I don’t see Ungrait’s husband listed–I thought he was hired as a “Benchmark Specialist.” I don’t think I dreamed that. If you give me the names, I will FOIA the info. Also, I don’t have a good list of the old administrators.
I hadn’t heard that Ungurait’s husband was hired too but that wouldn’t surprise me. I’ve heard from several employees that Associate Superintendent Ungurait is not a nice person to have contact with.
Sharon, my information about some of the replacement administrators being hired in at significantly higher salaries than the ones that retired came from someone at administration. The person was too afraid to give out the actual salary figures since it seems that retailiation is going to be strong with this new administration.
I guess the easiest thing to do is just FOIA the salaries of the new ones that replaced the old ones on that link that I posted.
Sharon here is a link to a PJ Star article about all of those administrators that retired at the end of last school year.
http://www.pjstar.com/news/tricounty/x487487420/New-District-150-chief-walking-into-mass-exodus
Johnnie, yes, I will FOIA the new salaries–and thanks for the link to last year’s salaries.
Sharon you are welcome and good luck on getting those salaries. Let us know if you do succeed.
Johnnie – When you are done having Sharon play administrator, tell your other friends to get to work. Doubt the new sheriff or her deputies will put up with the apathy and lack of accountability that got us here. Sharon – when you request, can you also focus on the background, experience, and success records of those involved -now and previous admin. Then, when making generalized statements, provide how different levels of compensation may or may not be warranted. Also share, if you will, your insight and training that gives you the capablity to differentiate the appropriateness (or not) of this admin structure. Your type 75 was earned when? Your recommendation for greater teacher accountability is what? Greater administrative accountability and justification for positions is to be measured how? Lacking all of this analysis, one might suggest you are just fishing for things to complain about. Imagine that.
Mack Daddy–First of all, whenever I see I new blog name that fits the moment, I just always suspect Jim Stowell–and this post sounds way, way too much like you, Jim. Also, it is easier on my ego to believe that I have just one critic using all manner of cute names. 🙂
Also, isn’t it nice of me to be so up front about what I’m doing? I’m trying to set an example as to how welcome it would be if District 150 board members and administrators would do everything in the open without forcing us to FOIA information to which taxpayers are entitled.
Maybe just maybe District 150 can’t afford the “top of the line” administrators–if that is the excuse for paying these so much–of course, I hadn’t figured out yet that they are being paid more than the previous administrators–thanks for that info. Maybe you could just prepare me a packet giving all the background info about each of the new hires.
I know (from a FOIA) that Dr. Lathan was paid $17,652 for moving expenses. The info for others hasn’t been provided yet. Maybe District 150, also, couldn’t afford to bring new people from so far away. Living within one’s budget always means that one cannot always keep up with the Joneses.
Sorry to say, it doesn’t take a very long pole to fish for things that are wrong in District 150. I haven’t even mentioned transportation yet. By the way, complaining and exposing aren’t the same thing.
Mack Daddy- you do not need a Type 75,you just need some common sense. Unfortunately the state does require the Type 75 for administrators. From where I stand, common sense among other things has been lacking in the leadership coming from Wisconsin Ave for quite some time and it appears to be lacking again. It is too bad there is not a common sense exam to weed out these incompetent,unethical so called leaders. It definitely would save alot of squandered money that has put us in our present state.
$20,000 for orange juice, doughnuts and poor public speaking seems to be some of the same old song and dance!!!
Sharon and Skeptical1, I don’t know if either of you know this or not but there are employees at administration whose duties are to read these blogs each day. I know it sounds crazy but it is true. Many of the bloggers, supporting the wrong doings on Wisconsin, are in fact employees doing what they have been told to do. I have been told that the new superintendent makes many decisions based on these blogs and I have seen examples of that too.
Johnnie, that is interesting. I hope they aren’t shirking their other duties–but I don’t object to District 150 administrators reading what we write. I would hope they would want to know how the public feels, etc. Of course, how they use the information is another story.
Sounds like a dream job. I wonder if they comment, too? 🙂
Yes Jon, they do comment on the blogs. 😉
According to employees, blogs are blocked from access. Are you saying they have their own wireless connection and computer and are “required” to do this task by the new admin? Speciffically who and under whose direction?
That is going to be a large outlay of cash if District 150 paid that much moving expense for all of those out of state people to move here. For a person who seems to enjoy threatening to fire employees, Lathan is doing a lot of hiring right now. I think they rehired most if not all of the pink slipped teachers, new secretaries in many locations, 15 new custodians & maintenance workers, and have posted for 6 new security officers. The BOE must have issued a blank check for her.
Not everything is blocked from everybodys computer and as for wireless I don’t know about that one. In addition to some upwardly mobile employees monitoring these blogs, you also have some witch hunts going on in an effort to find out the identity of bloggers who are sharing information that the new administration doesn’t want shared.
Blogs are going to drive these people crazy. What a great world it would be if they just understood that honesty and transparency are really the best policy for a public school system! However, if I were a District 150 employee, I probably wouldn’t risk being “found out” for writing on blogs–unless he/she is of a mind to sue for violation of freedom of speech rights. 🙂
What will hurt is that innocent employees are going to be accused of blogging simply because they may have been around when something was spoken about then that information was later posted on a blog. All we have to do is see how they treated that one principal to know how honest and fair the school district intends to be.
Who is getting voted off the island tonight?
The vote to fire the person was taken off the agenda. I have heard that teachers are being told to follow a chain of command–to take complaints to principals, etc. I had heard earlier that Dr. Lathan had eluded to a chain of command at the Civic Center event–that she wanted teachers, etc., to come directly to her with complaints–not go to the board. I recommend that they all read Knapp vs Harry Whitaker and the board of education–maybe they will think twice about demanding a chain of command. Taken to its logical conclusion, such an edict would mean that no teacher would be allowed to speak (to complain) at board meetings.
Read “District 150 and the Money” at http://peoriastory.typepad.com/
Sharon thanks for the above link. I was amazed at the compensation package for Lathan. That is just unreal for a city schools superintendent.
How does PJStar miss all of this?
Teachers, as should all employees of large organizations, should follow the chain of command.
150 Observer–at what end of the chain are you?
On a positive note, I was impressed with Dr. Latoya Kennedy and her presentation last night. The other new hires might be just as impressive; she was the only one who spoke last night. Also, I think Dr. Lathan is beginning to get a feel for the problems in District 150 and does intend to attack the problems.
My biggest questions relate to whether or not she will push more magnet schools. That will please some of you, but personally I am not excited about it.
I was pleased to hear Jim Stowell bring up the return of K-8 schools–and his opposition to the Edison-sponsored trip for 14 employees to Los Angeles.
I am, also, anxious to learn the extent to which Dr. Lathan wants to bring more inclusion for special ed into District 150. Of course, discipline problems have not gone away–I still am anxious to find out where Dr. Lathan stands on these issues.
Certainly, I am disappointed that Dr. Lathan isn’t encouraging transparency by pushing to return the airing of public comments and airing the meeting live on the night of the BOE meeting. Sorry, 150 observer, but this “follow the chain of command” push sounds very much like a way to keep complaints “contained.” We are in a new day now–teachers, etc., have become used to the freedom of being able to contact board members. I don’t think it will be that easy to go backward–nor should it be Maybe it will take another law suit to convince 150 that freedom of speech is alive and well in this country.
In the Journal Star’s defense, they did report on Lathan’s contract back in February: District 150 approves new superintendent’s contract.
For comparison, here’s a list from the Chicago Tribune of salaries in Peoria County from 2006-07:
Here’s another interesting article that contrasts superintendents and CEOs, and thus concludes that their salary scales should not be equated.
“Teachers, as should all employees of large organizations, should follow the chain of command.”
Interesting reference to the business model again… 150 observer, you must be an administrator somewhere. Command and Education are antithetical.
Sharon, not sure what the question for me is, but I don’t—and never have–worked at 150 or in education.
A “chain of command” isn’t just a “business model”, it is an organization model that virtually all orgainizations follow. Otherwise, you have chaos.
I do think it in all organizations that you should work within the chain of command. If working within that chain doesn’t yield satisfaction, than you can leapfrog some levels. But there is a chain of command for a reason.
My first question to an employee who came to me with an issue was always: “Have you taken this up with your supervisor?”
Charlie — “Chain of command” is actually a military model.
Since District 150 is by far the largest school district in Peoria County, here are a few superintendent salaries for districts of comparable size, from that same database for 2006/7:
Bloomington/Normal Unit 5: $219,364
Bloomington #87: $194,536
Joliet HSD: $226,145
Joliet Elementary: $189,881
Waukegan: $226,318
Rockford: $226,849
Springfield: $195,676
Decatur: $193,157
Rock Island: $164,349
Jon: From the Interactive Illinois Report Card for those same districts:
Only Joliet spends more than Peoria per pupil, and then it’s not really apples to apples because that’s just the high school. If we average the high school and junior high, Peoria spends slightly more even than Joliet.
150 Observer–you just answered my question as to where you were/are in a (not necessarily 150) chain; you were/are somewhere above the lower level of employees. What I fear most is that the “chain of command” philosophy in education might mean that those at the top of the chain do not want to hear from those at the bottom of the chain for any reason.
That would mean a continuation of the philosophy already in place–that teachers should have little input into any issues in District 150. (I believe the problems with the dress code would have been mitigated if teachers had been on the committee). I wonder the extend to which this “chain” philosophy goes. For instance, do principals have to follow the chain of command. This is the point at which I have concern about so many “out-of-town” new hires with allegiance only to the superintendent. Looking at the situation from that point of view, the middle of the chain is fairly formidable.
There is a good chance that the new regime will be teacher friendly and open to all points of view for consideration–and a good chance that it won’t. Until we know which direction will be the modus operandi, there is reason for caution.
C.J. is right–the PJS did report on all the details of Lathan’s contract–I, too, forgot how specific Haney was. I would like to know how many of the perks in her contract were, also, offered to Hinton and how many are new. The mileage (perk) offered to all (or most) the central administrators bothers me a bit. Teachers are often called to move around the district in their own cars–why should administrators be paid mileage to go out into the schools? The area to be covered just isn’t that extensive. I am probably way off base, but why shouldn’t they be expected to bear that cost themselves? Employees such as home facilitators undoubtedly receive the mileage benefit–and rightfully so because most of their job duties involve moving around the city every day.
Last night my comments during the public comment time involved all the supplies teachers have to buy themselves (probably involving more money than mileage expenses by administrators). I suggested 150 should seek donors (as they did for the Civic Center event) to help provide needed classroom supplies. Dr. Lathan responded that at the Civic Center event she did issue that challenge. I hope someone accepts the challenge and that the challenge is issued more formally, etc.
Sharon, I have been on the bottom of the chain of command as well as nearer the top during my career. The idea of having a chain of command and asking for input from all levels are not mutually exclusive. The fact that there is a chain of command doesn’t mean that the upper levels do not seek input from all levels on different issues. You are confusing the chain of command with the decision making process. They are two totally different things.
There isn’t enough time in the day for Dr. Lathan to open her doors to thousands of emplyoees to wander to her office to complain about all the issues in their individual jobs and to offer their suggestions on improvement. There needs to be processes for this. The fact that teachers may or may not be asked for input has nothing to do with the chain of command in the District.
150 Observer–we all know that and employees aren’t going to be streaming to her office (especially teachers) because they will be in their classrooms in other buildings. All have sense enough to know that they would need an appointment. Most teachers would certainly prefer to talk to their principals, etc. I just think that it is very strange that this is becoming an issue now. Actually, I believe Lathan’s speech at the Civic Center said that she wants people to come to her (I thought the implication was “not to board members”). I am just curious as to why Dr. Lathan feels this chain of command issue is important enough to mention since it hasn’t been an issue for a long, long time–probably since Terry won his lawsuit and freed us all to talk to board members.
“n., pl., chains of command.
A system whereby authority passes down from the top through a series of executive positions or military ranks in which each is accountable to the one directly superior.”
Yes, it is commonly used in a military context. It is not exclusively a military model, and even if it were… isn’t that an even worse way to structure an EDUCATIONAL system????
If you think that taking an issue to a supervisor is efficient, you have obviously never had an issue WITH your supervisor.
You start with your supervisor. It is chaos otherwise.
Sharon, how is this “chain of command” idea becoming an “issue”? It appears to only be an “issue” here.
Of course the super would tell employees to use the chain of command. Virtually all large organizations do…
Methinks paranoia is setting in here…
Let’s go further, CJ. Here is the pupil to certified staff ratio for those districts:
Bloomington/Normal #5: 12.8
Bloomington #87: 13
Joliet HS: 12.9
Joliet Elementary: 14.4
Waukegan: 13.3
Rockford: 13
Springfield: 11.2
Decatur: 15.2
Rock Island: 13.4
Peoria 150: 12.2
Only Springfield has fewer students per certified staff than Peoria. Why might D150 have more certified staff? How about Special Education (students with an IEP)? Unfortunately, the school report cards don’t break this down easily (you can tell a little from the test scores per grade, which shows the number of students with an IEP and how that group scored as a whole).
However, here’s a PJStar article that explains that:
1. Peoria has 24.4% of its students classified as special ed, compared to a state average of 15.3%
2. Of those classified as special ed, in D150 42.5% are in separate special ed classes (with a presumed much lower average class size), compared to only 17% for the state. Some of this can be explained by the fact that there can be vastly different levels of ability within a special ed classification. But does D150 have THAT many more students with higher special ed needs?
http://www.pjstar.com/homepage/x1017438988/District-to-further-integrate-special-needs-students
Of course, I understand that much, if not all, of the costs of special ed are paid by the state (which makes you wonder, until the state started inquiring about the high % of special ed, would it have been advantageous for the district to be more flexible in classifying students as special ed?)
District 150 Observer: I didn’t make “chain of command” an issue. As I’ve said (and I worked in the district for 43 years before I retired in 2005), I hadn’t heard the term “chain of command” since Terry Knapp won his law suit maybe in the 1980s. Now all of a sudden, employees are being told to follow the chain of command. I just think that it is strange. And, please, please do remember (in spite of all efforts to the contrary) that District 150 is not a business or the military–it is still an educational institution. That said, all of us–for ordinary and usual issues–followed the chain of command because it was the easiest way to get something handled. However, I see no reason why teachers cannot feel free (as they now do) to drop an informal e-mail to a central administrator or a board member. Maybe that is still OK, but I think some clarification is in order now that Dr. Lathan, not I or any teachers, have made it an issue. Maybe the paranoia doesn’t originate with the teachers either.
OK, Sharon, you said it was now an issue. I was just wondering about that.
I think some are reading way too much into a routine chain of command request. Chains of command are very typical in large organizations.
150 observer–As I’ve said before, it is not a “routine” request in District 150, but I am now considering the argument closed for my part–I have no chain of command to follow.
On another 150 note, the scores for Manual are not quite what they seem. Last night when it was announced that Manual made a 17 point gain in reading scores, it was not mentioned that unlike Richwoods and Peoria High, Manual’s scores are a composite (not sure how it’s figured) of 8th and 11th grade scores. As can be seen by the Yearly Progress Report, reading scores at the middle schools are generally higher than those of the 11th graders. I believe (without proof yet) that the 8th grade at MHS carried the high school into a higher bracket–undeserved and dishonest not to mention the 8th grade.
Yes, it is chaos in an authoritarian model, but not in a open community of peers.
“Chains of command are very typical in large organizations.” (Bureaucracies)